Disk cells generally serve for accommodating and electrically contacting at least one semiconductor component and are usually in a heat-conducting contact with a heat sink. The main purpose of the disk cell is to hermetically seal the semiconductor component while at the same time connecting it electrically and thermally by pressure contacting the semiconductor component from the outside. Known disk cells substantially include a housing and at least one semiconductor component. In this case, the disk cell constitutes a tradeable unit. Disk cells are also known in which several semiconductor components are accommodated that are of the same type with respect to their geometrical dimensions. This is not problematic to the extent that, given a matching type, the components are identical with respect to their mechanical load limits. Clamping several components becomes problematic if they have different mechanical load-bearing capacities already due to different geometries. While merely equipping the housing interior with the semiconductor components generally does not present any problems, the mechanically weakest component may easily be damaged during clamping if the disk cell is clamped, usually at the end consumer, for electrical and thermal contacting. Due to the different load limits, the semiconductor components of various types previously had to be clamped in separate disk cells in order to adjust the clamping action separately for each component so as to be able, in the end, to allow for the different mechanical load limits of the components. This is disadvantageous in that the number of parts is increased, the structural volume of the disk cell becomes disadvantageously large, and the design and/or the possibly required specific adjustment of the clamping action is comparatively complex.
To this end, generic assemblies comprising the disk cell have clamping devices, such as tension or compression screwing mechanisms, which serve to fix the semiconductor components and to electrically and thermally pressure-contact the plurality of the semiconductor components. In view of the problems in the case of thermal alternating loads arising particularly in power semiconductor electronics, such pressure contacts were developed for contacting high-voltage resistant and high-current resistant components. Examples for such high-voltage resistant semiconductor components include high-voltage thyristors, the central components in high-power converters. High standards with respect to component reliability apply particularly for such systems. Since the components have comparatively brittle layers consisting of semiconductor materials, the components are always in jeopardy of being destroyed in the case of mechanical overloading by pressure contacting.
Establishing and maintaining a mechanical and thus an electrical and a thermal contact between a contact region of an electronic component and a current-carrying contact occurs substantially by mechanically exerted forces. This is advantageous in that the thermal alternating loads can be sufficiently taken into account via a corresponding adjustment of the mechanical forces, for example, via clamping devices or spring-action devices, because of the mechanical tolerances connected with this mechanical fixation.